THE BEST VIEWS AROUND THE WORLD

So, after quite a long time of constant travelling (20 months around the world to be precise), we visited a lot of beautiful places. We also saw some less beautiful ones, of course, but this post is all about the oh-and-so amazing views we’ve seen on our trip. We are big nature lovers and we discovered most of these views by hiking. We will tell you exactly where you can see them to encourage you to go there and see those places by yourself.

1. TEA PLANTATIONS, MUNNAR, KERALA, INDIA

Munnaris a tiny hill station at the beginning of the Southern mountain range in India, called the Western Ghats. The whole town is surrounded by the never-ending tea plantations where you can get lost and enjoy the views basically from anywhere. However, to see the mountains and get the view of the tea plantations from the top, you have to go up to the Top Hill. Some people do it on foot, but it is a very long hike, mostly on the main street, so we decided to hire a rickshaw and enjoy the landscape in a more touristy way. 🙂 The view you see on the picture is somewhere halfway to the top.

2. ROY’S PEAK, WANAKA, NEW ZEALAND

We really did a lot of hiking while travelling, but Roy’s peak in New Zealand was probably our favourite one. The hike itself is quite hard as it takes form 5 to 7 hours to complete, but it will get you the most stunning view over the lake Wanaka and its surrounding nature. The hike is a 3-4h of constant and very tiring ascending (if you plan on doing it in summer, I would definitely recommend starting early in the morning, even before the sunrise as there is NO SHADE during the whole walk). However, the view from the top is still our favourite one and really worth the effort.

3. THE VIEW OF THE ANNAPURNAS IN TADAPANI, NEPAL

Hiking in the highest mountain range in the world is probably the ultimate experience for every nature lover on this planet. So it was for us. I had been dreaming about visiting the Himalayas since I was a little girl, and once my dream finally came true I was petrified. Big expectations usually get disappointing results, but after completing the extended version of the Poon Hill track around Pokhara, Nepal, all I want now is to go back and do all other possible hikes. Nothing can compare to the feeling of being so close to the immensity of the highest mountains in the world.

4. RICE FIELDS, UBUD, BALI

Only after we saw it with our own eyes, we understood why Ubud is so popular amongst travellers. This is one of our favourite places not only because of the surrounding rice fields, but also because of its perfect mixture between the local and the touristy. Cafes, restaurants and yoga schools in between the authentic Balinese architecture and the local people make Ubud a very lovely spot to spend days, even weeks.

The picture you see is taken in Jatiluwih, about an hour drive from Ubud, where you can spend a day walking among the famous rice fields.

5. LAKE TEKAPO, NEW ZEALAND

I’m pretty sure I don’t have to add much to the picture. This glacial blue lake surrounded by the blue and purple flowers is by far the most mesmerising view we’ve ever seen. No exaggeration at all. When we saw it for the first time, we literally couldn’t believe that such a thing can exist in nature. On a perfect day with a little bit of wind, lake Tekapo in the South Island of New Zealand surprises you with the bluest colour you can imagine. To make the view even more spectacular, you should visit in December – the time when the blue and purple flowers blossom all around the area.

The picture is taken from the Mount John observatory.

6. THE TWELVE APOSTLES, GREAT OCEAN ROAD, AUSTRALIA

Such an iconic and kitschy view you can find all over the internet, but still: isn’t it just overwhelming? Looking at the massive cliffs that were formed over 20 millions years ago again made me feel how powerful the nature is, and how small we are compared to its never-ending greatness.

Although it is the Great Canyon that is considered to be the greatest one of all the canyons in the USA, I must say I was totally mesmerised by the view of the second most popular one: the Bryce canyon. It is much more photogenic than the first one, and the small formations made out of sand completely struck me when I saw how thoroughly they are formed. The good (or maybe the bad) thing about this canyon is that you don’t have to walk anywhere to get this view; you can basically see it from the parking place, trying to get the perfect picture of its loneliness on the other side.

8. THE BLUE LAKE AND THE EMERALD LAKES, TONGARIRO CROSSING, NEW ZEALAND

This two views are the biggest highlight of one of the most popular New Zealand walks: the Tongariro crossing. According to some guidebooks (including Lonely Planet), this is the best day walk in the world. I must say this description is not exaggerated. If not the most beautiful one, it is definitely one of the most interesting ones as you walk on the volcanic thermal area that still has some active parts and see some really crazy colours and natural phenomenons. If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, you should definitely do this hike as it allows you to climb right at the top of “Mount Doom”. 🙂 However, it is quite an advanced walk, so you must be in good fitness condition.

9. LUBENICE, CROATIA

Lubenice is a tiny, tiny village at the top of the hill in the island of Cres and very popular amongst travellers. It is one of the oldest Croatian villages, and apart from its culture and history, it offers this amazing view over one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The beach is only accessible by boat or on foot, but the hike is quite steep and takes about 45min to descend, and about 90min to come back up. Considering that you’re lucky enough to find your way. 🙂

10. JAISALMER, RAJASTHAN, INDIA

We included this wonderful view on the Jaisalmer fort not so much because of the view itself, but because of the whole experience. We spent over three months travelling around India, and Jaisalmer was by far our favourite city in this crazy country. Its beautiful havelis (the typical Rajasthani villas, ornamented with very carefully carved details) are stacked around the old Maharaja fort in the middle of the desert.

This view was captured on our way to the surrounding Thar desert.

11. BEACHES AND SUNSETS IN THAILAND

No matter how touristy and crowded Thailand is getting lately, we must admit that it still has some of the most beautiful beaches in Asia. We managed to hide from the crowds by choosing to settle down in the south of Koh Lanta – one of the most laid back Thai islands. We had a private beach for ourselves, from where we could observe beautiful sunsets every single evening.

12. THE GREAT BARRIER REEF, AUSTRALIA

The best views are not only from the top, right? You can also have a wonderful view under the water, especially if its at one of the seven natural wonders in the world. If you ever go snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef, be prepared to see the craziest colours, creatures and wildlife ever. Colourful corals and turtles are just one little part of it.

13. HAMPI, INDIA

Hampi is our second favourite place in India, full of ancient temples surrounding the small hippie paradise. You can spend days walking and exploring the old temples, however the best view was the one over the Achyutaraya temple.

Last but not least:

14. NYC AND THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING FROM THE TOP OF THE ROCK

We are not big city fans, but I guess there is no person that doesn’t like New York. This classic view over the NYC and the iconic Empire State building is available from the top of the Rockefeller building. It’ll hurt your wallet a bit, but this view is a must-see.